In this 12-lecture meditation on Aristotle's
Nicomachean Ethics, you'll uncover the clarity and ethical wisdom of one of humanity's greatest minds. Father Koterski shows how and why this great philosopher can help you deepen and improve your own thinking on questions of morality and leading the best life. The aim of these lectures is to provide you with a clear and thoughtful introduction to Aristotle as a moral philosopher.

3 out of 5 stars

Standard class

By
Russell Granby
on
10-27-16

The Cave and the Light

Plato Versus Aristotle, and the Struggle for the Soul of Western Civilization

By:
Arthur Herman

Narrated by:
Paul Hecht

Length: 25 hrs and 25 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
210

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
185

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
186

The Cave and the Light reveals how two Greek philosophers became the twin fountainheads of Western culture, and how their rivalry gave Western civilization its unique dynamism down to the present.

5 out of 5 stars

This is a great book

By
Gary
on
04-25-14

The Modern Scholar: The Philosophy of Thomas Aquinas

By:
Prof. Peter Kreeft

Narrated by:
Peter Kreeft

Length: 7 hrs and 35 mins

Original Recording

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
465

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
361

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
359

An enthusiastic admirer of the philosophy of Thomas Aquinas, professor and philosopher Peter Kreeft details the rational thought and precise literary talent that established Aquinas as the foremost thinker of his time - and as the most important philosopher for the almost 200 years between Aristotle and Descartes.

5 out of 5 stars

Just what an introduction to Aquinas should be.

By
criticaltom
on
04-04-10

Your Deceptive Mind: A Scientific Guide to Critical Thinking Skills

By:
The Great Courses

Narrated by:
Professor Steven Novella M.D. Georgetown University

Length: 12 hrs and 39 mins

Original Recording

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
4,717

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
4,174

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
4,094

No skill is more important in today's world than being able to think about, understand, and act on information in an effective and responsible way. What's more, at no point in human history have we had access to so much information, with such relative ease, as we do in the 21st century. But because misinformation out there has increased as well, critical thinking is more important than ever. These 24 rewarding lectures equip you with the knowledge and techniques you need to become a savvier, sharper critical thinker in your professional and personal life.

3 out of 5 stars

Same Material Different Title

By
Amazon Customer
on
09-21-14

Metaphysics

By:
Aristotle

Narrated by:
James Cameron Stewart

Length: 14 hrs and 30 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4 out of 5 stars
13

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
10

Story

4 out of 5 stars
13

Aristotle's
Metaphysics was the first major study of the subject of metaphysics - in other words, an inquiry into 'first philosophy', or 'wisdom'. It differs from
Physics which is concerned with the natural world: things which are subject to the laws of nature, things that move and change, are measurable. In
Metaphysics, the study falls on 'being qua being' - being insofar as it is being; the causes and principles of being, the causes and principles of substances.

5 out of 5 stars

More relevant and needed than ever before!!!

By
Dino Valente
on
05-31-17

A Short History of Ethics

By:
Alasdair MacIntyre

Narrated by:
Tim Dalgleish

Length: 12 hrs and 20 mins

Unabridged

Overall

3.5 out of 5 stars
5

Performance

3 out of 5 stars
5

Story

4 out of 5 stars
5

A Short History of Ethics is a significant contribution written by one of the most important living philosophers. For the second edition, Alasdair MacIntyre has included a new preface in which he examines his book "30 years on" and considers its impact. It remains an important work, ideal for all students interested in ethics and morality.

4 out of 5 stars

Great philosopher made ridiculous by accents

By
Olivia Walling
on
10-04-17

The Ethics of Aristotle

By:
The Great Courses

Narrated by:
Father Joseph Koterski S.J. Ph.D. St. Louis University

Length: 6 hrs and 9 mins

Original Recording

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
245

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
220

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
217

In this 12-lecture meditation on Aristotle's
Nicomachean Ethics, you'll uncover the clarity and ethical wisdom of one of humanity's greatest minds. Father Koterski shows how and why this great philosopher can help you deepen and improve your own thinking on questions of morality and leading the best life. The aim of these lectures is to provide you with a clear and thoughtful introduction to Aristotle as a moral philosopher.

3 out of 5 stars

Standard class

By
Russell Granby
on
10-27-16

The Cave and the Light

Plato Versus Aristotle, and the Struggle for the Soul of Western Civilization

By:
Arthur Herman

Narrated by:
Paul Hecht

Length: 25 hrs and 25 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
210

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
185

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
186

The Cave and the Light reveals how two Greek philosophers became the twin fountainheads of Western culture, and how their rivalry gave Western civilization its unique dynamism down to the present.

5 out of 5 stars

This is a great book

By
Gary
on
04-25-14

The Modern Scholar: The Philosophy of Thomas Aquinas

By:
Prof. Peter Kreeft

Narrated by:
Peter Kreeft

Length: 7 hrs and 35 mins

Original Recording

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
465

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
361

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
359

An enthusiastic admirer of the philosophy of Thomas Aquinas, professor and philosopher Peter Kreeft details the rational thought and precise literary talent that established Aquinas as the foremost thinker of his time - and as the most important philosopher for the almost 200 years between Aristotle and Descartes.

5 out of 5 stars

Just what an introduction to Aquinas should be.

By
criticaltom
on
04-04-10

Your Deceptive Mind: A Scientific Guide to Critical Thinking Skills

By:
The Great Courses

Narrated by:
Professor Steven Novella M.D. Georgetown University

Length: 12 hrs and 39 mins

Original Recording

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
4,717

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
4,174

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
4,094

No skill is more important in today's world than being able to think about, understand, and act on information in an effective and responsible way. What's more, at no point in human history have we had access to so much information, with such relative ease, as we do in the 21st century. But because misinformation out there has increased as well, critical thinking is more important than ever. These 24 rewarding lectures equip you with the knowledge and techniques you need to become a savvier, sharper critical thinker in your professional and personal life.

3 out of 5 stars

Same Material Different Title

By
Amazon Customer
on
09-21-14

Metaphysics

By:
Aristotle

Narrated by:
James Cameron Stewart

Length: 14 hrs and 30 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4 out of 5 stars
13

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
10

Story

4 out of 5 stars
13

Aristotle's
Metaphysics was the first major study of the subject of metaphysics - in other words, an inquiry into 'first philosophy', or 'wisdom'. It differs from
Physics which is concerned with the natural world: things which are subject to the laws of nature, things that move and change, are measurable. In
Metaphysics, the study falls on 'being qua being' - being insofar as it is being; the causes and principles of being, the causes and principles of substances.

5 out of 5 stars

More relevant and needed than ever before!!!

By
Dino Valente
on
05-31-17

A Short History of Ethics

By:
Alasdair MacIntyre

Narrated by:
Tim Dalgleish

Length: 12 hrs and 20 mins

Unabridged

Overall

3.5 out of 5 stars
5

Performance

3 out of 5 stars
5

Story

4 out of 5 stars
5

A Short History of Ethics is a significant contribution written by one of the most important living philosophers. For the second edition, Alasdair MacIntyre has included a new preface in which he examines his book "30 years on" and considers its impact. It remains an important work, ideal for all students interested in ethics and morality.

4 out of 5 stars

Great philosopher made ridiculous by accents

By
Olivia Walling
on
10-04-17

Kant: A Very Short Introduction

By:
Roger Scruton

Narrated by:
Kyle Munley

Length: 5 hrs and 17 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4 out of 5 stars
76

Performance

4 out of 5 stars
69

Story

4 out of 5 stars
67

Kant is arguably the most influential modern philosopher, but also one of the most difficult. Roger Scruton tackles his exceptionally complex subject with a strong hand, exploring the background to Kant's work and showing why the Critique of Pure Reason has proved so enduring.

What is Western Civilization? According to Professor Noble, it is "much more than human and political geography," encompassing myriad forms of political and institutional structures - from monarchies to participatory republics - and its own traditions of political discourse. It involves choices about who gets to participate in any given society and the ways in which societies have resolved the tension between individual self-interest and the common good.

5 out of 5 stars

Highly recommended

By
Mike Keith
on
08-08-16

The Platonic Tradition

By:
Professor Peter Kreeft

Narrated by:
Professor Peter Kreeft

Length: 5 hrs and 4 mins

Original Recording

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
134

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
111

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
110

This engaging course of lectures begins by providing a detailed and accurate overview of Plato's philosophy and it's central idea - the idea of a transcendent reality that has popularly become known as the theory of the Forms. Professor Kreeft then takes us on a concise journey through Western Philosophical history to show how that central idea - the theory of forms - has either been built upon or reacted to by philosophers ever since.

5 out of 5 stars

Great overview of Plato and later philosophers

By
Terryn
on
12-04-13

The Modern Scholar: Ethics: A History of Moral Thought

By:
Peter Kreeft

Narrated by:
Peter Kreeft

Length: 8 hrs and 31 mins

Original Recording

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
327

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
219

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
218

This course addresses some of the eternal questions that man has grappled with since the beginning of time. What is good? What is bad? Why is justice important? Why is it better to be good and just than it is to be bad and unjust? Most human beings have the faculty to discern between right and wrong, good and bad behavior, and to make judgments over what is just and what is unjust. But why are ethics important to us?

5 out of 5 stars

Surprisingly Good

By
J. Maxwell
on
11-02-09

No Excuses: Existentialism and the Meaning of Life

By:
The Great Courses

Narrated by:
Professor Robert C. Solomon Ph.D. University of Michigan

Length: 12 hrs and 7 mins

Original Recording

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
967

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
833

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
807

What is life? What is my place in it? What choices do these questions obligate me to make? More than a half-century after it burst upon the intellectual scene - with roots that extend to the mid-19th century - Existentialism's quest to answer these most fundamental questions of individual responsibility, morality, and personal freedom, life has continued to exert a profound attraction.

4 out of 5 stars

Good for even a non-existentialist

By
Gary
on
07-24-15

Plato's Republic

By:
Plato

Narrated by:
Ray Childs

Length: 11 hrs and 45 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
373

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
343

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
337

The Republic poses questions that endure: What is justice? What form of community fosters the best possible life for human beings? What is the nature and destiny of the soul? What form of education provides the best leaders for a good republic? What are the various forms of poetry and the other arts, and which ones should be fostered and which ones should be discouraged? How does knowing differ from believing?

5 out of 5 stars

Spectacular

By
Benjamin Myers
on
08-08-16

Augustine: Philosopher and Saint

By:
The Great Courses

Narrated by:
Professor Phillip Cary Ph.D. Yale University

Length: 6 hrs and 12 mins

Original Recording

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
181

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
161

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
155

These 12 illuminating lectures paint a rich and detailed portrait of the life, works, and ideas of this remarkable figure, whose own search for God has profoundly shaped all of Western Christianity. You'll learn what Augustine taught and why he taught it – and how those teachings and doctrines helped shape the Roman Catholic Church. These lectures are rewarding even if you have no background at all in classical philosophy or Christian theology.

5 out of 5 stars

Very thoughtful and well executed.

By
Kevin Crabtree
on
04-23-15

The Modern Scholar

Hebrews, Greeks and Romans: Foundations of Western Civilization

By:
Timothy Shutt

Narrated by:
Timothy Shutt

Length: 7 hrs and 51 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4 out of 5 stars
70

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
52

Story

4 out of 5 stars
50

Our purpose in this course will be to examine the foundations of Western civilization in antiquity. We will look at the culture of the ancient Hebrews, of the ancient Greeks, and of the Romans, and we will likewise look at how these cultures interacted with each other, sometimes happily, sometimes not. In the process, we will focus on how the questions they addressed and the answers they found live among us and continue to shape our lives to this very day.

5 out of 5 stars

The Wild, Wild, Wild, Wild West

By
John
on
10-29-14

Philosophy: 100 Essential Thinkers

The Ideas That Have Shaped Our World

By:
Philip Stokes

Narrated by:
Steven Crossley

Length: 8 hrs and 12 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4 out of 5 stars
74

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
59

Story

4 out of 5 stars
59

This engaging and accessible book invites the listener to explore the questions and arguments of philosophy through the work of 100 of the greatest thinkers within the Western intellectual tradition - covering philosophical, scientific, political, and religious thought over a period of 2500 years.

5 out of 5 stars

Unpretentious, honest, with a big picture

By
Mike S.
on
05-29-17

The Great Ideas of Philosophy, 2nd Edition

By:
The Great Courses

Narrated by:
Professor Daniel N. Robinson Ph.D. City University of New York

Length: 30 hrs and 10 mins

Original Recording

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
1,204

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
1,072

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
1,046

Grasp the important ideas that have served as the backbone of philosophy across the ages with this extraordinary 60-lecture series. This is your opportunity to explore the enormous range of philosophical perspectives and ponder the most important and enduring of human questions-without spending your life poring over dense philosophical texts.

4 out of 5 stars

Great overview with some degree of detail

By
W. Morgan
on
09-24-13

Islamic Philosophy: Bolinda Beginner Guides

By:
Majid Fakhry

Narrated by:
Raad Rawi

Length: 7 hrs and 25 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
28

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
23

Story

4 out of 5 stars
21

A comprehensive examination of the struggle to reconcile philosophy and Islam. From the introduction of Greek Philosophy into the Muslim world in the eighth century, right through to modern times, Majid Fakhry charts the evolution and interaction of philosophy, theology, and mysticism in the Islamic context. Highlighting key individuals, movements, concepts, and writings, Fakhry also explores the conflicts and controversies between anti- and pro-philosophical parties.

5 out of 5 stars

Beautifully written, nicely narrated, dense

By
Cressida
on
01-08-14

The Modern Scholar

Enlightenment: Reason, Tolerance, and Humanity

By:
Professor James Schmidt

Length: 7 hrs and 51 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4 out of 5 stars
39

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
18

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
18

This course will explore and discuss the work of such influential thinkers as Voltaire, John Locke, Denis Diderot, Adam Smith, Immanuel Kant, and Benjamin Franklin. It will also spend some time with less well-known figures such as Joseph Priestly: a clergyman, scientist, and philosopher who was one of the most passionate defenders of the American Revolution in England: and the remarkable John Toland, a man whose writings on religion changed the way many Europeans thought about the Scriptures.

5 out of 5 stars

Brilliant--nearly flawless

By
Scott
on
10-11-12

Publisher's Summary

This course is an introduction to the philosophical thought of the two most important philosophical figures of ancient Greece. By working through parts of their central texts and thoughts, we will gain an understanding of Plato and Aristotle's relevance in the past and today as well.

After each section of this guide, you will find some questions and suggestions for further thought. There is no right or wrong answer to most of these questions; they're designed merely to offer suggestions for how you might think further about the reading and about what was discussed in the lecture. In each case, you will, of course, find the questions more or less accessible depending on whether or not you were able to read the dialogue as well as listen to the lecture. You may find it interesting not to stop with these particular questions, but to use them as models to think further on your own or with others about the issues and questions raised by these lectures.

Story

THE MODERN SCHOLAR:PLATO AND ARISTOTLE

I haven't finished this yet, as I keep backing up to listen to parts again...it's WONDERFUL, and I wish that Audible had more of "The Modern Scholar" series to choose. If you want an easy and enjoyable way to improve yourself, you can't beat this. It's like being in a classroom with the most excellent professor you can imagine. TERRIFIC! And this Professor is FUNNY!!!! He's a riot, but you learn from the humorous parts as much as from the serious.

Forms a good solid foundation for further study.

This is an excellent survey of the works of Plato and Aristotle. While it did go into some of the specific works in depth, what I find more useful is that, to my mind, the author was giving me a foundation to explore the works in more depth by myself. To give one example out of many possible, through this series I first started to understand the theory of forms as a template for concepts rather than the vague assertions that I had gotten in other discussions of Plato's work. Now I can proceed into more detailed thinking about all of his works.

This is by no means an easy set of lectures to get through, not because the presentation is poor, but because the concepts are both important and subtle.

I listen to the lectures while walking daily, so I could not follow the notes (supplied in PDF format) but they are worth reviewing. Because I was distracted from listening while walking, I listened to some of the lectures several times to help fix the points in my mind.

I intend to listen to the works by Plato and Aristotle again, then listen to this series again. I am studying the foundations of Western Civilization for my own pleasure, not for any other goal. This is one of the few recorded lecture series I have purchased that I judge worth a detailed second listening as opposed to going on to a different subject.

Puzzled by the Negative Reviews!!

Any additional comments?

I read some of the negative reviews of this series of lectures and almost chose not to purchase. I am so thankful that I did not follow their lead!! These lectures are outstanding. I often listened to a section a second time because there is a great deal to ponder. The lectures created a desire to read both Aristotle and Plato. I have discussed many of the ideas presented with other people because they help me think more clearly about my life and they generate a sense of wonder. What more could someone ask from a set of lectures focused on the philosophy of two of the world's greatest thinkers. Aryeh Kosman did a great job and I wish that there were more lecture series available from him.

I feel robbed!

IN ten years of using the internet this is my first negative criticism. Simply because I find no joy in listening to people complain and that is not me. However, after paying $50 for this book, having made this size of an investment, I just want to share how I feel about it. This book is painful to listen to. No, it is not the voice of the author, which is just fine. I kept wishing he would get to the point; instead I kept listening and listening, to what comes across as this man trying to show everyone else how smart he is, instead of just getting to the point of what Plato actually had to say. When Chapter 2 begins, the author actually struck a deep interest in me to want to hear Plato's story, but by the end of the chapter VERY LITTLE about what Plato actually taught in the story is shared. Instead I had to listen to the painful ramblings of this brilliant professor. I kept saying to myself, PLEASE GET TO THE POINT! So I decided to Google Plato and start reading the story for myself, since this book left me feeling that so much was lacking. If I wanted to buy a book on the author I would have bought one. I thought I was buying a book about Plato. Either you will love this book or you will hate it. If you just love to hear extremely intelligent professors ramble on and on then you will love this book, because boy does he deliver. However, If you are like me, and are simply hoping to become acquainted with what Plato actually taught you will be disappointed.

For those who have not read the book summary

THIS ISN'T A BIOGRAPHY. This book goes over the lectures and writings of Aristotle and Plato. For those of you who have never taken a philosophy 101 this book will be difficult to understand. First you lack the foundation of critical thinking drilled into 101 students that teaches you how to remove yourself from judging the argument. This means you never take sides unless you are asked or put yourself in the position of for or against. In a philosophy course you will be asked to argue both sides of an argument, often times using another philosopher's counter argument or argument as template or in original form. The other thing you will lack is and understanding of what philosophy is. What this means is other studies like science and history pose questions and try to find answers, philosophy is just about asking questions. Now don't blame the individual, it is hard finding and intro to philosophy that is't full of philosophical jargon. But taker your time go over the classics and some formal logic and you should be fine.

Brilliant!

I have listened to this course three times. It gets better and richer with each pass as I understand it more fully, and it is among the best courses I have ever heard--in person or on a recording. I will probably let it sit for another year and then do it again.

Get to the point...

...I had a hard time listening to the same idea being tossed around and juxtaposed in multiple circles. The "author" has done his homework and I applaud his fervor for knowledge. His feeble attempt at regurgitating info in an interesting way left me wanting to return my purchase of this audiobook.